Game Preview: Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks

WISCONSIN -- The Seattle Seahawks (8-3-1) visit the Green Bay Packers (6-6) at Lambeau Field on Sunday as slight road favorites. They haven't won in Green Bay since 1999.

Two weeks ago, the Green Bay Packers were (4-6) when quarterback Aaron Rodgers made a surprising statement. "I feel like we can run the table," Rodgers said on Nov. 23. The Packers responded, defeating the Eagles in Philadelphia and the Texans on a snow-covered Lambeau Field.

This week, they face one of the NFL's toughest teams in the Seattle Seahawks, who surrender a league-low 16.2 points per game on defense.

GAME INFO:

• GREEN BAY (6-6) vs. SEATTLE (8-3-1)
• Sunday, Dec. 11, Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wis.
• 3:25 p.m. CST
• FOX Sports, now in its 23rd season as an NFL network television partner, will broadcast the game to the majority of the country.
• Milwaukee’s WTMJ (620 AM), heads up the Packers Radio Network that is made up of 50 stations in five states.

Coming into their game against the Seahawks, the Packers are two games behind the Lions in the NFC North and one game behind Tampa Bay (7-5) in the Wild Card Chase.

If the Playoffs started the morning of Dec. 8, here's how each league would shape up: NFL Playoff Picture

Seahawks Key Injury
According to the Acme Packing company weekly preview, Safety Earl Thomas is really the glue that holds the secondary together. Against the Panthers, though, Thomas suffered a broken leg that will knock him out for the rest of the season. The question now becomes whether the Green Bay Packers can exploit Thomas’ absence and attack the deep middle of the field.

Packers Key Injury
Nick Perry has already been ruled out for the Packers’ week 14 game against the Seattle Seahawksdue to the hand injury he suffered last week against Houston. Julius Peppers and Datone Jones worked heavily against the Texans - the two players were on the field for 58 and 56 snaps, respectively. They'll be at it again this week against the Seahawks. Will the line hold up?

Bleacher Report's Smart pick:
While picking Green Bay to pull off the upset is tempting as a home dog here, the team's inability to run the ball will prove costly. Winter has arrived, and Seattle has a definitive edge in that department between Rawls and quarterback Russell Wilson.

>>> patch file photo